Ever since I heard the first MSG album, vocalist GARY BARDEN became one of my favorite Hardrock / Metal singers, but unfortunately I always missed the chance of doing an interview with him in the past. Thanx to the internet (and STATETROOPER's Jeff Summers in particular), I finally got an opportunity, which was too good to let go. Gary seemed a bit shocked about the big number of questions I had prepared for him, but nevertheless agreed to discuss his entire career with me via email (from his early days in MSG to his most recent activities in SILVER), which resulted in the following interview... Read on and enjoy!
 
Ok Gary, we gotta kick things off somehow, that's why I first of all would like you to tell us a bit more about yourself... Like when and where you were born, where you grew up and what you've been up to before you ended up becoming a rock singer...
"Hi Frank, well I was born on 27/8/55 in a town called Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England. I lead a fairly quiet childhood, due to a stammer.  The town is very conservative, snobby and rich, but I grew up in the downtown part of it, born to working class parents, John and Shirley Barden who had 4 kids, me being the eldest. I left school at 15 years old and didn't really know what I was going to do, my granddad had been in the past working as a printer, so it was suggested that I went into an apprenticeship which was to last for 5 years during which time I played, as a hobby, in various local bands and in which time I learned to play guitar, sing, and write songs."
At what age did your interest in music actually start and what was the reason for it? Did you hear a certain song on the radio or see a band play on TV or whatever...?
"It started very young, I remember hearing my mum in the kitchen with the radio on singing along to all the old tunes (she had a lovely voice), I liked all the Frank Sinatra songs and big band stuff. I remember also running home from playing in my local woods to catch the Beatles on TV, I think that was around 64, they were a big influence in my life, I preferred them to the Stones, the songs were beautiful, they still are!"
Was it clear for you right from the start that you had to become a singer or did you try to learn any instruments as well?
"I didn't really have a choice, none of the other members of the bands wanted to sing, they just wanted to hide behind their guitars and drums, so I was kinda pushed into the limelight (in the early rehearsals and gigs, I sang with my back to the audience), I was shit scared as well mind you, but it does build confidence. I learnt the Clarinet at school, I was a big Acker Bilk fan, did that for a couple of years, then I saw Marc Bolan in T.Rex and really wanted then to play guitar and be him (sad, but true)."
Who was your biggest influence vocally when you started singing yourself? Did you try to copy someone in the first place, by rehearsing his / her cover songs or was it all original Gary Barden right away?
"The biggest influence was Ian Gillian, the album I brought at 15 was "Deep Purple in Concert at the Royal Albert Hall', I was knocked out by the conception of joining a rock band and orchestra, he only sang a couple lines, but thankfully after that, they released "In Rock", and that did it for me, I was sold to the devil. Later when Rainbow became my gods, I really got into Ronnie James Dio, the power of this man was and is truly awesome, but come to think of it now, people have always told me I do have my own style, who decides?"
I bet that the majority of our readers first came across your talent when they got their hands on the classic MSG debut album... but I seriously doubt that Michael Schenker hired you out of the blue... So, what have you been doing musically prior to getting the offer to join the Michael Schenker Group?
"I was in London at the time with Frazer Nash, our band from Tunbridge Wells, we were trying to get record contract and were touting ourselves around. We were entertained by EMI and various others who were interested in us, we did a showcase for the guys, at the Venue night club in Victoria, London. It resulted in us not getting a deal."
Did you record anything with bands you've been involved in, like rehearsals, demos or even albums?
"We have tapes of demos hanging around, but alot of water has gone under the bridge since then, I think Tony Collins the guitarist in 'Nash' has most of the works, maybe I have also, but that would mean a year's work tracking them down!! We never did any albums, I'm sorry to say."
How did you get together with Schenker then? Did he see you perform somewhere or did you send him material when he auditioned musicians for his group?
"The samo, samo story, I had sent a tape the Chrysalis's offices in Bond Street, London (we sent quite a few to other record companies, including Swan, 'Zeppelins office in Kings Road). We didn't get any replies, strange? Anyway Michael was in the building and he passed the A&R room, where the guy was playing our demo (the chance of that timing is, as you know, bloody impossible) Micheal said "who is this guy singing, I like his vibrato".  I had put contact numbers and addresses on the box. He turned up to a rehearsal in Victoria with his then wife Gaby (who translated for him, Micheal's English was pretty non-existent) and gave me a cassette of 30 ideas that he had recorded with Dieter Dirks on his mobile recording studio in Germany."
How did you feel when you got the job? Was it clear for you right away that you would accept the offer or did you need some time to think about it first? Did you have a regular job at the time that you needed to quit? How did your personal life change at the time?
"I was over the moon, all the years of working to this time, had paid off. Accept the offer? I jumped at it, and shit myself on the way down after I knew what I was letting myself in for. I was on the dole at the time (being a musician is not a 'real' job as we all know) so I was available. My life for good or bad really did change at that moment, I had to let my mates in the band down, (we agreed it was, at the time, a good career move) my family were ecstatic, especially my dad (very proud, he came to all the London shows later on, wore a leather jacket and jeans as well), as I said there was alot to get my head around."
I was kinda surprised that you got songwriting credits right away ("all songs by Schenker / Barden"), so what actually was your part of the writing process? Were you responsible for lyrics exclusively or were you also allowed to write your own melody lines already?
"The first thing Mike and I did was sign a publishing deal for the first album, I signed to 'Schenker Songs' on the understanding that I wrote the lyrics, he the music. We worked in rehearsals, just the two of us, on the songs in the 'Black Hole' studios in London, I sang the ideas I had to him (which he picked out the best lines) and taped them. It worked very well, but as you can properly see, it took time, but then, hear the quality on the first album."
Did the songwriting start from zero after you joined the band or had there already been finished material of Michael, that you just needed to write the lyrics for?
"As I said, Mike had 30 ideas which had to be whittled down to 15 or so, we started from scratch really, the riffs, the bridges, the choruses, the hooks and melodies, the lyrics, the learning process of songwriting, the chemical gel that we had, also the personality (getting to know you) exchanges, it all took time."
Did you already have any live experiences when you joined MSG? I could imagine that it must've been a quite difficult task to live up to the high expectations everywhere you went and to act professionally right away, wasn't it?
"The first gig, I won't forget it, was at the Bristol Coulston Hall (forgive the spelling Bristol?) we were pumped right up, Cozy on the drums now (my hero), Micheal with 6 Marshall stacks (ouch!) the place was heaving. I was informed, by all concerned they were happy with my first performance, Peter Mench, Michael's manager, told me to keep the (c'mon to me) actions I did in the set, kind of trademark of mine, I suppose."
Were you involved in any business decisions as well at the time or was Gary Barden simply a hired musician that got paid to do his job and that's about it?
"I was a paid lead singer, but at the time I thought I was worth more.  Michael, his manager and Chrysalis, his record company, planned our careers at the time."
How do you judge your personal input in the first two MSG albums? In retrospect - what was good, what was bad?
"I put alot of time and effort into those songs, we had the time, having a record deal allows you that luxury, nowadays too many albums are knocked together in a couple of weeks."
Did the intensive touring commitments you already had to fulfill for the MSG debut album affect your voice in any way (be it positive or negative)?
"Sure, we did the first North American tour in the winter, mostly Ice stadiums (bloody cold) and the singer is always effected by temperature changes i.e.: at gigs, hotels, road transport, airplanes, different parts of the country, the late nights (I had trouble sleeping), I found it very hard to come down after a show. But you learn to look after yourself, nobody tells you (I didn't have a vocal coach), tours are very punishing."
Would you say that the Michael Schenker Group had finally turned into a "real band" after the touring for the debut was finished? At least there's some additional songwriting input from the other members on the "MSG" album as well...
"It was a very popular band at the time, the press liked us, the fans definitely did (sell out tours!) and we were told a the next 'supergroup' to come out from England. The MSG songwriting credits go to show how we all wanted contribute to the new band."
Is it true that during the sessions for the second MSG album Paul McCartney has been with you in the studio? How did that come about and did he record or write anything with you guys? What kind of feeling was it, meeting up with him?
"He was with Linda, his nanny and kids at Air Studios in London, the same time as us. We met in the canteen most times and bumped into him always in the corridors, he's a very down to earth guy, there were no 'airs and graces' about him. He jammed one night on the 'Mad Axeman' track on the strict instructions that he was not recorded, he had the sense to do that, imagine how many more copies of MSG could we have sold from that little jam?"
What actually caused the tension that ended up in the split-up between you and the band after "MSG" came out?
"Paul Raymond and myself were summoned to see Michael's manager Peter Mench, who informed us we were no longer required. The cost of MSG was crippling, so by doing their sums, they had to come up with a 'name' singer."
So, was it just a business decision that the fantastic "One Night At Budokan" live album got released in between "MSG" and "Assault Attack" (the band's first album with new vocalist Graham Bonnet) or was a live album planned no matter what?
"One Night" was released by EMI-Toshiba in Japan, it was such a big hit over there (but expensive, £18, I think!) Chrysalis in their wisdom released it in England (for half that) and it reached No 5 in the British album charts."
How did you get together with GARY MOORE afterwards and why did the co-operation not work out in the end?
"Gary and I lived in Hampstead, London at the time. We kinda bumped into each other in the supermarket and when we got talking, he said he was doing an album and needed a singer to sing on his songs for him, he asked if I was interested, I said I was, and laid a vocal down on 'Don't Take Me For A Loser'. He later decided to sing himself (couldn't have made a great impression on him, uh!!)."
As far as I know, you were even involved in the songwriting for his "Corridors Of Power" album and recorded demo versions of some of the songs, didn't you? So, which songs did you write and record together? I suppose 'Shape Of Things To Come' must've been one of them as a song of that title ended up on the STATETROOPER album later as well, right?
"As above, I was not involved in the songwriting at all, Gary had it all mapped out. 'Shape Of Things To Come' was written by Jeff Summers of Statetrooper, I didn't know that Gary Moore had written a song also with the same title?" (I found out in the meantime that it's two completely different songs - Ed.)
Around the same time MSG got rid off Bonnet again and contacted you to rejoin... What exactly happened there and why did you accept the offer?
"Graham blew it in Sheffield whilst playing their 'warm up' gig to Reading Festival. I had a phone call from Rob Cooksey (Michael's tour manager) asking to meet. We talked about the events in Sheffield, and then he offered me the Reading gig, I was pretty stunned (but he looked desperate, their was alot of money involved) "tell me how much you'd do it for" he said, I made up some figure on the spot, he said "too much" so I halved it and he agreed (silly me!!). I wasn't doing much at the time, so what the hell, I knew 95% of the songs anyway."
You then played the famous "Reading Festival" and even recorded that for another live album entitled "MSG Live At The BBC", which I unfortunately never heard myself yet... When did that album come out, on which label and is it still on sale?
"The full title is 'Micheal Schenker Group - BBC Radio One Live In Concert' I think its on their own label, it was released in 1993, the catalogue number WINCD043." (l luckily got my hands on that by now :-) - Ed.)
At that particular show you came on stage with the words "surprise... surprise..." – was that because you expected people to see Graham Bonnet instead of yourself?
"Everybody expected Graham to sing, somebody (nameless) told me after the show that they were going to throw something 'not very nice', over him during the set, I deemed myself lucky that night."
When you played 'Doctor Doctor' that night you could hear a second voice backing you up – was that someone out of the Michael Schenker Group or did you have a guest on stage, from some other band maybe?
"You are properly hearing the 'Big Youth', he was our personal roadie at the time, a giant of a man, he was the only one in the crew that could sing that high on the choruses."
There's supposed to be two promotional videos for the "Assault Attack" songs 'Dancer' and 'Desert Song', but surprisingly with you in them... Wasn't it a bit strange to perform playback with Bonnet's voice? How did the fans react on that?
"I sang on those two tracks for the promotion for the "Assault Attack" tours, we only used Graham's backing vocals, those songs were not in my key, very high, but I did my best. The fans took me back into their fold as though I'd never been away."
In 1983 MSG's "Built To Destroy" album was about to follow - an album which seemed way more commercial due to the use of more upfront keyboards... A fact, which I never really understood... So, were you forced to change into that direction due to pressure from the record company or was Schenker simply heading towards a different style at the time already?
"With Andy Nye in the band now, he was writing songs as well, we weren't forced into that direction, it just happened that way, the keyboards gave a light and shade of their own to the 'Built' songs. Michael was happy to go along with the style that was emerging at that time."
Another live album ("Rock Will Never Die") got released in 1984 and basically marked the end of the "real" MSG... What kind of problems lead to the second split-up between you and Schenker and what was the reason to release another live album again within such a short period of time already?
"Mike and I were not getting on. The last USA tour in '84 was a disaster, he kept canceling gigs, which pissed me and other members off (Chris Glenn also left), I left in Cleveland, got pissed and emotional (was left in a Holiday Inn, with no money) some fans, god bless them, brought me food and drinks and a couple of bucks to call Leiber & Krebs (Michael's Management) in New York, who in turn paid my flight back there and asked me to sort my 'differences' with Michael and carry on with the tour. The release of "Rock Will" was a management decision. By the way, we got as far as Baton Rogue (we were going to support Ozzy Osbourne, on some really big gigs) when it finally blew up again between him and me."
Did you ever feel like giving up completely after those bad business experiences or did they just make you stronger?
"Give up I did, I took six months off to clear my head of the shit I'd been through, a very sad time for me. As too it making me stronger, only my true friends and family could tell you that. I didn't forgive Mike at the time, the band were 'up there' and he killed it over a trivial incident."
Do you know whatever happened to bass player Chris Glenn after MSG? Did he quit music completely?
"Chris, I think lives back in Scotland, he's playing with Ted in another 'Sensational Alex Harvey Band' without Alex sadly."
STATETROOPER was your next career step then... Did you take some time off after being out of MSG or did you continue to start that band right away?
"I took a 6 months sabbatical, to clear the shit and disappointment out of my head, when I was ready, I started to get into the mode again."
In the first line-up you worked with Steve and Paul Johnson and already recorded demos, but the line-up, as well as some of the songs ('Hot Daze', 'For Good Or Bad') were pretty short lived... why did it not work out this way?
"The lad's lived in Yorkshire, the north of England, so the distance thing didn't really help, there were of course many other underlying factors at work, some of which I would rather not talk about."
The following members Bruce Bisland, Martin Bushell, Jeff Brown and Jeff Summers all used to be in the NWOBHM act WILDFIRE previously, so is STATETROOPER basically the logical follow-up to WILDFIRE?
"That much I think is true, it's been some time now, the boyz also properly have different accounts of the story. They were a bunch of very talented muso's."
What was keyboard player Steve Glover up to until he joined STATETROOPER?
"I really don't know this one, I think he was playing in bands up north in Doncaster, Wildfire used him for a TV special, so they would know more about him."
How did you get together with them and what actually inspired the band's name?
"I started off with Bruce Bisland, their drummer, I needed someone very good for the 'Trooper I' demos, the name Statetrooper I got from America, due to an driving incident in Texas, we were 'pulled' over by one, and they struck me as a truly awesome (in your face) force."
The album also features the MSG track 'Armed And Ready', which kind of surprised me, considering the bad experiences you went through with that band. So what was the reason to re-record it with STATETROOPER?
"Why not? It was a very big song in my life, the fans wanted it, and I still think the Trooper track is one of the best versions I've ever heard, everyone's kicking arse on it."
What went wrong in your opinion in the career of STATETROOPER that you never really took off completely and apart from several shows and the self titled album that you released in 1987 the band musically obviously wasn't really the flavor of the month at the time... Was the material not strong enough to live up to your musical past or was that kinda music simply pushed back in terms of media attention due to the rising of Speed and Thrash Metal maybe?
"The music biz was really changing at the time, the record companies were focusing on the their major money making acts and weren't signing the new bands that were coming up. The Speed and Thrash stuff were mostly self-financed and our band needed a major record deal to break into the international circuit, but of course these avenues were closed to us."
But you still recorded a new demo at Trident Studios in London during the Summer of '87, which featured tracks like 'Love Lies Bleeding', 'Juliet' and 'How Does It Feel'... Apart from 'Juliet', which ended up as a bonus on the STATETROOPER CD re-release now, none of the other tracks got used in any way later on... So, whatever happened to those recordings?
"We are keeping those for Trooper II, they need a bit of a overhaul, not to say they are not good songs, it's just that we feel we can do them a little bit more justice."
Did Martin Bushell leave the band out of frustration in 1988 or were there any other problems involved?
"Martin was getting more involved with keyboards and computers, that was how I saw it (falling out of love with his guitar) so he left to follow his heart in these pursuits."
How did you manage to hook up with ex-THIN LIZZY guitarist Brian Robertson as his replacement then?
"Brian was involved with our management around the same time as us, when Martin left it seemed at the time, an opportune moment to involve Brian in the band."
At which point of time did you quit STATETROOPER and what happened to the other members at the time? Did any of them ever continue on in other bands?
"None of us never really quit Trooper, we just laid it to rest. We had given it our best for a couple of years, but you can only bang your head against that wall for so long. Steve Glover joined Brian in a project, Bruce Bisland went on to Praying Mantis, Martin Bushell left the business completely as did Jeff Brown and Jeff Summers."
Were you ready to throw in the towel completely at the time? What have you been up to until you finally resurfaced in PRAYING MANTIS in 1993?
"I needed to work after Trooper, bills to pay, a life to lead, so I learnt to type and work on computers, that up took 5 years of my life."
How did you actually get together with MANTIS? Did they manage to track you down in order to offer you the job to become their new vocalist? Were they responsible for your "comeback" as a singer or were you just sick and tired of basically doing nothing and therefore you would have gotten back into business after all those years anyway...?
"Mantis was looking for another singer, and Bruce said I was available, "why not try Gary out", I was doing a full time job at the time, and wondered if I could work the two together?"
Was it difficult for you to get your voice back into shape in order to deliver a good performance on the album, which was supposed to become "To The Power Of Ten"? Or why did it take two long years until the album was finally ready to go?
"Thank you for the compliment, looking back, I think the songs came over very well, the more the pity it was only destined for the Japanese market. I don't know where you the 2 years from? We worked on the songs for maybe 6 months and recorded 'Power'  in 6 weeks, then did the Japanese tour a couple of months after."
During the tour of Japan with PRAYING MANTIS, the brilliant live album "Captured Alive In Tokyo City" was recorded and everything seemed very promising at the time, but the co-operation already ended again afterwards... What happened?
"Thanks again, the 'live' comes over very well, we did a video of the show, and there again only for the Japanese market. To blow my own trumpet, I had to learn 21 Mantis songs (of which I'd never heard before) in 6 (weekend) weeks before the tour, as did Clive Burr. The full time job I was holding during all this was taking it's toll on me, I couldn't handle the two together, up at 4.30am to 11.00pm (last train from London to my town), I did have a drink or two as implied by Chris Troy (shame on me), but then none of the others were angels at the time either."
Next up was the "Metal Monsters" project you worked on with Lea Hart (ex-FASTWAY)... Tell us more about that and where the song 'Don't Take These Dreams Away' (that you recorded together) ended up being released?
"The True Brits CD was recorded in 1993, I received a call from Lea asking if I would be interested in singing a track on it, I said why not, it wouldn't hurt and when we met and he played me the backing track, I thought it was a good decision."
In February 1998 you got a surprising phone call from Michael Schenker, who offered you to rejoin his band once again... How did you react on this offer, considering the experiences you already went through in the past? And why was this co-operation so short-lived?
"UFO were playing the Astoria in London, and my friend Alan said it might be good to go and see them. I'd not seen Michael since April '84 so I was intrigued to see him 'AL La Roy Orbison' before my eyes. We did meet in his dressing room after, and he asked if I would do the English G3 tour, guesting on 3/4 songs. This then went onto an European tour which finished in Zurich, we met briefly in his dressing room and then said our good-byes. I'd like to mention the band, Dave the singer, Shane drums and Jeff Kollman on bass were shit hot players."
Your next two projects were two tribute albums for IRON MAIDEN ("666 Number One Beast" in 1999) and THIN LIZZY ("Killers On The Loose Again" in 2000). You performed 'The Trooper' and 'Out In The Fields' on those... I'm only aware of the LIZZY tribute, so maybe you can tell us a bit more about the MAIDEN release... Which company put that out, which other artists appear on it and was it still fun for you doing those covers, considering the fact that the market is already so full of tribute releases of all kinds?
"The Maiden Years (Tribute to Iron Maiden) was released 2000 on Pony Canyon Records. The singers were Steve Overland, Steve Grimmet, Paul Dianno, Doogie White and me. 'The Trooper' was the track chosen for me, it was so bloody hard, my hat goes off to Bruce (who I've always rated as one of the top 'Rock' singers). I think it's true to say that Lea Hart started the 'Tribute' ball rolling, the others followed suite."
Why have you only been asked to fill in COMPANY OF SNAKES (the new band of former WHITESNAKE members Bernie Marsden and Mickie Moody) temporarily after that? Did you record or play any shows with them?
"I went to a 'Companys' gig in my home town, I heard a rumor that the singer was leaving and told Bernie Marsden after the show I could do it.  I was wrong, I'm not Coverdale, only he holds that crown. We did some gigs in Germany with Alice Cooper (talk about thrown in the deep end after how long?) and a big one in Wacken on the big stage with Molly Hatchet, it was recorded live but after I left during some Spanish gigs, they replaced my voice with another singer."
Your most current project is SILVER... the band features a bunch of wellknown musicians and you already have two albums out by now. Feel free to tell us more about this and if consider this your new steady musical home after all?
"Silver is a blessing, for a singer working with these guys there is no better, trust me. The professionalism of Micheal Voss & Co was there from day one to the final mastering. The songwriting team and musicianship is phoenorminal. There's talk of Silver III, and of course I would like to be involved in that also."
I often hear fans and musicians who (like me) already passed the 30 by now talk about the "glorious 80's" and that "things were a lot more exciting" in the music scene back in those days... Do you share this point of view as well?
"Do we sound like 'old farts' already or what? The 80s were fun, like every generation will tell you about there's. There was a reckless nature about the rock bands then, and that 'living on the edge' shit, came over on the songs and albums."
In my opinion it wasn't always the superior quality of all those classic bands, but maybe the fact that nowadays simply too many artists are constantly popping up and too many labels keep on releasing stuff of immature musicians, which results in a release / band overkill... Real talent has to struggle a lot harder to get recognition... Do you still follow the Hardrock and Metal scene of today? Any new bands / albums that you really enjoy?
"I'm embarrassed to say I do not follow today's bands / music, I simply do what I do. If I need a ' fix' I just put on 'Machine Head' or 'Burn' or 'Rainbow' and I'm pacified (does that make me a 'Purple freak?)."
You always stayed true to your musical roots through all those years, so is melodic Hardrock the only thing for you or could you imagine to be involved in some completely different musical project some time as well?
"I would love to do something like a 'Musical', I've always stick to my guns on the melodic stuff, and hopefully in the future some singers out there will carry on the flame (you can grunt for so long)."
Okay Gary, if you answered all my questions so far, you will probably be pretty exhausted by now, so I'll let you go. Hope you enjoyed the interview anyway. If you would like to add something personal, feel free to do so now. All the best and keep on releasing great music!
"I'd like to thank you for asking me, interviews are still not my 'cup of tea', but for good or bad, if there is genuine interest out there, this interview is me, love or hate it."

Further info: www.garybarden.net or www.garybarden.com

Frank Stöver